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I’m in control

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt things were beyond your control? Take a good look at this picture – 4 year old little Markie boy is in over his head. The only reason I’m still in the picture is I couldn’t back up any further. No, I don’t remember her name … there were so many. Ha!

We like to be in control, don’t we? Being in charge gives us confidence, convinces us we’re intelligent or wise … until being in charge leads to trouble. The trouble is we have blind spots, we don’t see the whole picture, and we’re not as smart as we think we are.

James warned us: “Look here, you people who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like a fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’”

Someone put it a little differently: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

So, God gave us brains, we have life experiences, we possess tremendous amounts of information. What are we to do, then? I believe the Bible gives us instruction, encourages surrender, even submission, to Someone who knows the answer.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

No one said it was easy. Even Jesus cautioned us: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:33).

Life is too complicated to let the inmates run the asylum. I need help, don’t you? James wrote: “If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you” (James 1:5). I really need to count on that promise!

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About Mark Wilbanks

Dr. Wilbanks became Wieuca’s fifth senior pastor in February of 2012. Mark’s father, Oliver Wilbanks, served as Associate Pastor here from 1966 to 1982. Wieuca had a tremendous influence in shaping Mark’s call to ministry during his teenage and young adult years. A graduate of both Southern and New Orleans Baptist Theological seminaries, Mark has served churches in Kentucky, Florida, and Georgia. He pastored Southside Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida for 17 years and Bradfordville First Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida for ten years. He and his wife, Kim, were married in 1979 and have two sons, Andy and Jordan. Andy is married to Lindsay and they have a son, Cade, a daughter, Ruthie, and welcomed their third child, Samuel, in October.